Sunday, December 7, 2014

Birthday Girl

You know those people, the ones that make a big flipping deal about their own birthday? I have never, even been that girl. Not ever. Sometimes those people make such a fuss and they don't even have a milestone birthday. Other times those people plan their party to be a few days before their actual birthday, thus making it more like a birthweek than a birthday. Its all about them. It can be tacky. It can be annoying. Its definitely not my styze.

For my upcoming birthday (38 on tuesday), things were not looking too fabulous. That was fine by me, cuz I'm not into birthdays. Remember, I'm not that girl. I didn't realize it, but I was getting birthday-bummed, tracking reasons in my head for why it was going to be lame and a let down:

My hubby is going to be out of town on my big day

My bday is on a Tuesday, bla

I can't do an early morning run on my birthday (no O to stay with kids)

Poor me

Then, about a week ago we got the sad news that one of O's childhood ski buddies and hometown friends, JA, had passed away. How sad. He was so young. This is not fair.

Here is JA, smiling, between sweet little O on the left, and Ced on the right. Ski buddies. I love this photo, I always have.

Of course this JA news stirred up some KK feelings for us. Life can be so shitty, I remembered.

And like a weird switch I changed my bday tune. Yes, life can be so shitty and unfair and too short...but life can also be so much fun. With clear vision and confidence I declared that we were going to throw me a birthday party. My first ever as a grown up. We have so many special and fabulous Amsterdam friends. People we plan to love forever, wherever our paths take us.

They (whoever "they" are) say its best to invest in experiences, vs. gifts...so this year my gift to me was the experience of a fab dinner with these special people. O sprung into action, he seemed thrilled to have a birthday plan to execute that he knew I'd be happy about. Obviously that is way better than trying to guess what to buy or do to make the birthday girl happy (because that game is just the worst - nobody has time for that game).

He rallied 20ish buds to join us for a lovely dinner at a fab italian place around the corner. The venue, which was perfection for an evening like I wanted, was his idea. They have only one table, which we filled. It was an intimate, fun, delicious celebration of all that matters in our world right now. We laughed, god I love to laugh. Aside from sending a few emails, we did no work to make this party happen. It was a lovely luxury to outsource the food prep, service, venue, etc. to professionals. We didn't even pick a menu, we just trusted this joint to serve up whatever was fresh and fabulous, because they are good like that and because honestly we didn't feel like wrapping our selves up into the details - I hate details. We spent the day playing with the kids and laying low at home.

My friends came, with bells on. Its always fun to introduce friends to friends and see them all become friends. It is especially interesting to watch that happen across language and cultural barriers. This dinner party was simple and grown up and Amsterdam and maybe my best birthday ever. After a several-course family style italian meal, we paraded around the corner to our place for late night ("late" to me is anything after 9:30 pm, and it was about 11...) cake and bubbly.

This is what 37 and 362 days looks like on me. I'm not weird about aging, not yet at least. I don't get mental about wrinkles and stuff - because I hate details, such a bore. I am also not weird about borrowing my 4 year old daughter's headbands to wear for grown up parties.

This is the table before it was filled up with friends. Nothing says 38 like metallic hot pants and pink fur, am I right?

And here are some shots that DS captured, I'm so glad he did!

Also a few shots from the after party, with cake, chez moi. Loving my new snake skin table cloth. Is snake skin the new leopard print? Peut-être.

Maybe I am eating cake as I post this. Peut-être.
For this year, I guess I am that girl. It feels good, so good. My actual birthday is still 2 days away. How annoying am I? Shhh, don't answer that. I seriously don't want to know. Happy Birthday to me.

My Team

Moi

I'm a midwest farmer's daughter who fell in love with a French ski racer from California. Recently, we jumped at the chance to move to Amsterdam for nearly three years. More recently, we returned home - to Portland, OR. We have a little boy and a little girl. Neither is too little anymore. I like happy colors and vacations. My college degree claims I am a Mechanical Engineer, although my heart tells me I am an artist. I'm also a runner. I love the word garden as a noun but not as a verb.
Thanks for stopping by.